06/23/2011
I couldn’t count how many times I've heard a sincere Christian say to me, "Chuck, all we have to do is elect more Christians to public office".
I wish it was only that easy! The fact is we have been electing "Christians" to public office for decades. In fact, when is the last time you voted for someone who did NOT proclaim to be a Christian?
Most everyone in public office claims to be a Christian. In my whole life, I never remember a candidate for public office saying, "Vote for me; I’m an atheist". Do you?
Richard Nixon claimed to be a Christian; Gerald Ford claimed to be a Christian; Jimmy Carter claimed to be a Christian (he even taught Sunday School and took alcohol out of the White House); Ronald Reagan claimed to be a Christian; Bill Clinton claimed to be a Christian (how many times did we see Clinton on his way to church with his giant-print Bible under his arm?); George Bush I and II claimed to be a Christian. Bush II held prayer meetings in the White House we are told. Even Barack Obama claims to be a Christian.
Ditto for virtually every congressman and senator ever elected. Republicans and Democrats, liberals and conservatives, men and women, whites and blacks: they all claim to be Christians. If electing "Christians" was all we needed to do, we should be in the Millennial Kingdom by now!
Of course, I can hear many Christians now saying under their breath, "But we need REAL Christians in public office". And, of course, the people saying this are the ones who are qualified to know which ones are REAL Christians and which ones aren’t. Right?
In speeches all over America, I have surprised many Christian people when I say, I would rather vote for an unbeliever who would preserve, protect, and defend the US Constitution, than vote for a believer who would NOT preserve, protect, and defend the US Constitution.
When a civil magistrate assumes public office, he or she does not swear an oath to be a "good Christian", or to be a "good conservative", or to read their Bible and pray every day. What they do swear to, however, is to "preserve, protect, and defend" the US Constitution.
The reason why it doesn’t matter to a hill of beans whether we elect Republicans or Democrats, or liberals or conservatives, or Baptists or Catholics, etc., is because, for the most part, none of them cares one iota about honoring their oath of office to be faithful to the Constitution! But holding our elected officials to the Constitution should be the primary focus of any public servant’s constituents. Forget the rhetoric! Forget the label! Forget the religious piety! If our public servants do not submit themselves to the Constitution to which they swore an oath before God and men, they are liars and frauds and should be treated as such!
But, because the vast majority of Americans do not themselves understand, appreciate, and value fidelity to the Constitution, they are content to let their politicians routinely ignore and trample constitutional government.
Therefore, Christian Democrats cheer the unconstitutional, loathsome policies and decisions of "Christian" Jimmy Carter, and Christian Republicans cheer the unconstitutional, loathsome policies and decisions of "Christian" George W. Bush.
And, as Sonny and Cher sang, "The Beat Goes On". And the rush toward bigger and bigger government, less and less freedom, and more and more socialism goes on–all these "Christians" in public office notwithstanding.
In the midst of all this duplicity and chicanery come honest, freedom-loving, constitutionalists of all stripes, shapes, and sizes: men and women from all persuasions, backgrounds, and education who understand the principles of constitution government enough to be truly considered a friend of freedom.
That’s why I have often said, not all Christians are our friends, and not all unbelievers are our enemies.
Case in point: I recently ran across this blog from a professing agnostic. Before reading it, please understand that countless numbers of our "Christian brethren" have routinely lambasted, lampooned, and laughed at constitutionalists such as myself, Congressman Ron Paul, Sheriff Richard Mack, former gubernatorial candidate Chelene Nightingale, Pastor John Weaver, author and researcher Joel Skousen, former congresswoman Helen Chenowith, former gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina, former Vice Presidential candidate Ezola Foster, etc., etc.
So, with that said, here is the quotation from a professing agnostic’s blog about yours truly:
"Some reading this have already picked up on the fact that I’m pretty much atheist. Well, I am perhaps agnostic.
"Pastor Chuck Baldwin–call him Dr if you prefer, call him Chuck, call him almost anything but a 'hypocrite'–it’s the underlying message that keeps me reading to the end of his articles.
"His message is Freedom–he preaches from God’s side but his message is Freedom for all men, not just his own flock, not just those that profess to be Christians at large, not just those which agree with him, not just those which will follow his ways–but freedom for all men; let them by their own actions be judged here and in the there-after. There is actually rather few ways one can live in a civil, sane, safe and FREE society–it has darned little to do with one’s faith; it has everything to do with one’s character.
"If the preacher–a person who professes to stand for the works of Jesus and his father, God–is unable to minister without kow-towing to the State, if he is unable to speak the truth without risk of persecution, then he should not be silent, nor should he find himself standing alone in his trials. If he is speaking the truth of all men–that freedom does not come at gun point, and it’s not a brand name and trademarked by the political idols of the age–it makes no difference if he says 'Praise the Lord' or 'Viva la Revolution.'
"But today, the preachers who'd speak the truth of what’s harming his people can be persecuted by the same corrupted system as any other time–they are the same dog, only the leg movement and dress code varies era to era. He will find his congregation is more concerned for their own hide and possessions than they are for the truth. They merely mouth the words of their Savior and mean none of it to apply to themselves.
"Chuck Baldwin, the Freeman, happens to hold his Bible as his crutch where others do not. He preaches of his religion and the views he’s formed from his belief, and he sometimes p*#@ me off because he’s rather conservative whereas I’m not so much–but even if I will not follow his religion or his God–I will follow his lead as a Freeman. I don’t mind if he’s not exactly the same as me in thoughts and ideals, nor do I care if his politics are a little far to the right for my personal tastes because he’s not bothering me with those things. He is calling for all humanity to rise, as Freemen united, and be shed of the tyrants that would enslave every man, every woman and every child to their whim.
"It is true that the Pastor and I would have significant differences in opinion over time–but for so long as one can say to the other: if you come in peace as a Freemen and harm me not by your ways, you are welcome at my table–then there are at least two volunteers for the battle against tyranny standing shoulder to shoulder calling for other Freemen to join us. We need not concern ourselves with the slaves. By default, they'll become Freemen when their masters flee under the wrath of the Freemen arisen. Courage in their convictions is their shield, and truth, justice, and honor their code."
(Name withheld)
The understanding, wisdom, and character that is represented in the above blog is rarely demonstrated in any church, from any churchman, or from any pastor!
I would sooner share a foxhole with this agnostic (and try to win him to the Lord at the same time) than with many professing Christians.
When did we Christians lose our character? When did we lose our honor? When did we forget what it means to be Freemen? When did we forget the principles of constitutional government? When did we lose our understanding of Natural Law and Natural Rights?
It seems to me that all over America "the stones are crying out", because men and women of the Covenant are sitting back fat, happy, and dumb!
No, electing "Christians" is not all that is needed! If we don’t start looking past party labels and Christian profession, and start getting serious about preserving the fundamental principles of Natural Law, constitutional government, and freedom, this land of liberty is going to quickly disappear!
My dear agnostic friend, you're welcome in my foxhole any day!
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Dr. Chuck Baldwin recently left the Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida to move to Montana. He hosts a weekly radio show. His website is here.
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